


Aftermath

by helsinkibaby



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Angst, Comfort, Community: 1-million-words, F/M, Fluff, Romance, aftermath of near death experience
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-09
Updated: 2016-10-09
Packaged: 2018-08-20 11:30:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8247196
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/helsinkibaby/pseuds/helsinkibaby
Summary: Joe hears footsteps coming down the stairs...





	

**Author's Note:**

> Weekend challenge theme: True Blood quotes   
> Mine was "I almost died last night. Again!" (I opted to exclude the exclamation mark)

It was the sound of rapid footsteps from the upstairs hallway, those same rapid footsteps coming down the stairs that made Joe throw down the dish towel and head towards the sitting room at an equally rapid pace. When he got as far as the dining room table, he saw exactly what he expected to see, Caitlin standing at the bottom of the stairs, her brown eyes wide in a face that was far paler than it usually was. Her hair was loose, wild and messy from the previous night's adventures followed by too few hours of tossing and turning sleep and she was wearing an old CCPD t-shirt of his that swamped her slender frame. When she saw him, the look of mild panic on her face changed to one of relief and her shoulders slumped as one hand covered her lips. 

The gesture tugged at his heart and he closed the distance between them, pulling her into his arms. "Hey," he told her quietly as he kissed the side of her head. "It's ok... I'm here."

"I woke up and you were gone." She spoke into his shoulder as her arms moved around his waist, hands sliding up his back to curve around his shoulders. She huffed out a laugh that managed to be completely devoid of humour. "I guess I freaked out a little." 

"It's ok," he told her again and he meant it. After all the events of the last few days, especially the ones of the last twelve hours, if anyone had the right to freak out, it was her. He ran a hand down her side as gently as he could but she still winced, hissed a little, as his hand found the bandage there. "We should get you some painkillers." 

"In a minute." Her voice shook but her grip didn't and he wasn't inclined to argue with her. After all, bad as the gash on her side was, it could have been so much worse and they both knew it. 

What seemed a long time later, she spoke again. "Where is everyone?"

He cleared his throat. "Wally's at college, Iris and Barry went to work... I called Singh, told him I needed to take the day." She lifted her head then, looked in his eyes and he gave her his best firm glare. "And don't you even be thinking about going into STAR Labs today... they can get along just fine without you for a little while." 

He expected her to argue. Instead she just nodded, smiled wanly. "All right." 

Not one to question a miracle, Joe ran a hand down her arm, laced their fingers together. "You want breakfast?" he asked. "I'll cook... whatever you want, name it." 

She looked down at their joined hands for a long moment and when she looked back into his eyes, hers were filled with tears. Before he could ask her what was wrong, she said, voice choked, "I want you to ask me again." 

He blinked. "Caitlin..."

"I almost died last night. Again." Because it hadn't been the first time, and with their lives and everything in them, they were both aware it might not be the last. "And a lot of it is blurry... But I remember you holding me. I remember your voice." She squeezed his fingers. "I know what you said. And I want you to ask me again. If you meant it." 

Joe sucked in a sharp, deep breath. "How could you not think I meant it?" She just looked at him and he inclined his head, conceding the point - yes, the circumstances were far from ideal but then again, having the woman you loved bleeding in your arms tended to concentrate the mind somewhat. "Caitlin, I love you. You have to know that."

Caitlin nodded, the action dislodging a tear from one eye. It slid slowly down her cheek and Joe reached up and wiped it away with his thumb, her cheek cool against his palm. 

"So..." Joe took another deep breath. "Will you marry me?" 

Caitlin didn't blink, didn't look away, didn't breathe. 

But she did nod. 

And as he wrapped her into his arms and let her cry on his shoulder, Joe decided that that would do just fine.


End file.
